got the 92 gxe out and drove it to work today (been driving the new se-r).

i still love the maxima, though. its actually more comfortable than the se-r. i just wish i could diagnose the problem with the suspension and fix it. the driver's side shock is obviously bad, but the steering is so ****ing loose. my gf's 96 neon is a super car compared to this, in terms of steering.

the car has been like this since i had the transmission replaced. any ideas? cv joints? axle? sway bar?

 

what are the symptoms? does the car veer to the side under sudden acceleration? noises? bouncing? leaning? im not sure what you mean by the steering being loose

 

This happened to my old GXE when I had the transmission replaced the first time. Almost like the ******** just knocked out a rotting bushing and didn't bother to replace it. I was told by a few shops I needed the whole "steering rod" replaced, but I think they're full of ****.

I think what he means by it is

A LOT of play in the steering wheel. It doesn't hold tight and you can basically turn it with one finger. You constantly have to battle it at higher speeds to assure it tracks straight because of the looseness.

 

check the bushings holding the steering rack to the firewall. they're prone to go and will give you lots of play in the steering.

 

If I'm going down a road with a lot of imperfections I often find myself fighting with my steering wheel to keep the car straight. It can throw me off my path quite suddenly, which can be a little unnerving when you're moving along at a good clip. I've said "whoah" more times than I care to admit. It's long been a complaint of mine, which nobody has been able to successfully diagnose. This is despite numerous alignments and upgrading suspension components. Maybe the steering rack bushings is my answer. Are said bushings an expensive replacement?

 

hmm... they're just bushings. They couldn't be that expensive I'm thinking $40 at most?

Anyway, does anyone happen to have part numbers for these?

 

you might have bad control arm bushings. particularly on the passenger side (because leaking ps fluid which eats up the rubber bushings) i had similar experience before i switched to poly bushings

 

Bad rack bushings will also cause the steering wheel to "****" neutral points. IE when I got my car it was almost perfect and after some time i have to "steer" left to go straight.Its also been shifting back and forth. I know I have bad CA bushings but its definitly a different problem.

I think Brian said its not that expensive to get poly replacements. Maybe he needs to keep them in stock now....

~Alex

 

the steering rack bushings aren't that expensive, but it doesn't sound like your problem hadman. sounds more like bumpsteer to me, which is a side effect of lowering the car too far. nothing you can do to fix it except for raise it up a bit.

 

yea trust me its the bushing and struts and maybe alignment also ive had the same problem but when i put in my new struts the sudden veering stoped

 

Hmm I'm on a very modest 1.2" Eibach drop. My alignment was just done recently too.

 

How are the condition of your suspension bushings?

Are they original?

If so,i suggest you start replacing all of them..

 

on bumpsteer....i'm at stock height now and have it worse than when i was on intrax'

i've had alot of pull to either side lately, after switching my bent front sway bar brackets and bushings, it's a little better, but still a little loose.....i noticed some wear/tear on the steering arm bushings while i was under there, and that makes sense as a possibility.

 

yes. when i floor it into 1st gear from 4th, the steering will go out of alignment big time (to one side), but when i get off of the gas, it will steer back into alignment. no leaning. just lots of sway and steering issues.

and yes, there is a lot of play in the steering wheel. like i said, my girlfriend's neon steers like my se-r compared to this.

i was thinking some sort of bushing as i have replaced the passenger control arm and strut already.

 

i bet that the veering under accel is to the left? i replaced my control arms and the passenger side was shot in about a year and a half. i don't know if it was because i torqued the front bushing before i took the car off the stands ( a no-no) or if it was just the ps fluid leaking on it but i had the same problem and its gone now with new poly bushings. fix that first and then see what the steering is like.

 

Alex, that definitely sounds like control arm bushings up front then... I would also look at ball joints and tie rod ends in that case.

 

They're not original, but they are roughly 6 years old. I guess that puts them in questionable territory. Actually, I have been stashing some poly suspension bushings, but didn't think it was part of this problem. I guess putting them in would be a good way to find out.